Doncaster and Dubai - admittedly you don’t associate the two, but a touch of the self-styled city of luxury has arrived in town, according to those behind one of newer additions to the borough’s restaurant scene.

They say first impressions count and Spice and Ice definitely made an impression on us as we were bowled over at the transformation the former Cheshire Cheese pub has undergone.

For years the prominent building in one of Doncaster’s busiest roads cut a forlorn figure acting as an attraction for vandals. Now, after no doubt a fair penny spent by owners Ram and Krishna Odedra, the building is attracting diners wanting to enjoy with rich and diverse flavours on Indian cuisine. Manager Priya Patel says: “Ram and Krishna had a vision of what they wanted to create with inspiration from restaurants in Dubai. But when I first saw the building it was abandoned with smashed up windows and it was difficult to see beyond that mess.”

Flock wallpaper and piped music have been given the elbow, replaced with neutral colours and dark floors offset by orange hues. We’re quickly shown to our table to find the icy legacy of the Beast From The East has not deterred diners who are packing out the restaurant on a Saturday night.

I opt for a starter of Salmon Dilwala, grilled in the tandoor. Flavoursome, the salmon was beautifully offset by dill marinade and mint chutney, while I was reliably informed the Chilli Chicken, an Indo-Chinese delicacy, hit the spot.

Both starters were off the ‘exotic menu’ and an array of other ‘exotic’ mains are available but we both couldn’t resist a good old ‘traditional favourite’.

I opted for the tried and tested chicken tikka; the chicken falling away as soon as it hit the fork; the coconut and almond complimenting each other.

My partner had lamb garlic chilli which I’m assured packed a punch without being too hot. Our mains came with soft and fluffy rice, one portion definitely enough to share, and a naan bread each. The fact that our plates were soon empty said it all. While Spice and Ice might be slightly more expensive than other Indian restaurants it’s no more expensive than other eateries of different cuisine. The efforts of Ram and Krishna have to be applauded because they have created a great place to go. It might not be in Dubai but it’s definitely worth a visit